The Massachusetts Land Initiative for Tomorrow (MassLIFT)

2016Community Engagement Coordinator Position Opening
withSudbury Valley Trustees

The MassLIFT-AmeriCorps program was initiated and is managed by Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust as a collaborative effort of regional conservation organizations (including urban conservation and gardening efforts) seeking to increase their capacity to engage with more people and do more community conservation projects across Massachusetts. This year, 30MassLIFT-AmeriCorpsmembers will help their hosting organizations meet critical community needs for land protection, stewardship of protected lands, outreach to the broader community, and youth education opportunities to engage young people in conservation. To learn more about MassLIFT-AmeriCorps, visitmasslift.org.

AmeriCorps engages more than 75,000 men and women in intensive service each year through more than 15,000 nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country. AmeriCorps members help communities tackle pressing problems and also leverage their service by mobilizing volunteers to help address community needs for environmental stewardship, health, education, economic opportunity, disaster services, and support to veterans and military families. To learn more about AmeriCorps, visit americorps.gov.

MassLIFT-AmeriCorps is a grant program contingent upon renewal of federal funding from the Corporation of National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS grants to AmeriCorps programs in Massachusetts are administered by the Massachusetts Service Alliance.

The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA, mass-service.org)is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as the state commission on community service and volunteerism. MSA’s mission is to catalyze the innovation and growth of service and volunteerism by creating partnerships that maximize resources, expertise, capacity, and impact. MassLIFT is one of 22 AmeriCorps programs for which MSA currently administers funding and supports program implementation.

AmeriCorps Member Eligibility Requirements

This year’s MassLIFT program will run from August 29, 2016 through July 28, 2017.AllMassLIFT-AmeriCorps members are expected to serve full-time, commit to serve for the entire eleven-month term, and complete at least 1,700 hours of service, including time spent in trainings and service with the full MassLIFT team. Weekly service averages 35 hours and commonly includes some night and/or weekend activities.

Applicants must also meet the following AmeriCorps requirements:

  • a US citizen, US national, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien of the U.S.
  • at least 18 years old
  • a minimum of a high school diploma or GED
  • no more than three previous terms as an AmeriCorps member
  • pass a criminal history background check, includingan FBI check

AmeriCorps programs provide equal employment opportunities. MassLIFTwill recruit and select persons in all positions to ensure a diverse and inclusive climate without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, color, political affiliation, creed, national origin, marital status, or any other status as protected by federal, state, and local laws. We encourage applications from individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations for interviews and service upon request.

Member Compensation and Benefits:

  • MassLIFT-AmeriCorps members will receive a living allowance of $12,530 over the 11-month term of service, which is $522.08per 24biweekly pay periods.
  • MassLIFT assists members in obtaining health insurance coverage through healthcare.gov. Reimbursement of costs may be available.
  • Childcare assistance may be provided in cases of financial need.
  • Upon successful completion of a term of service, AmeriCorps members receive a $5,775 education award that can be used for future education or to pay off existing school loans.See nationalservice.gov/resources/edaward for info and restrictions.
  • AmeriCorps members are eligible for forbearance of most federally-guaranteed student loans, as well as payment of interest accrued during service.
  • MassLIFT-AmeriCorps members gain skills in land conservation, attend a statewide conference, and participate in team trainings and other professional development opportunities.
  • AmeriCorps members experience the personal rewards of national service
    and community engagement.

Note: MassLIFT-AmeriCorps members are responsible for their own housing and must have access to reliable transportation.

Positions

The 2016 MassLIFT-AmeriCorps program will support thirty full-time AmeriCorps members, serving in one of four positions: Land Stewardship Coordinator (LSC), Regional Conservation Coordinator (RCC), Community Engagement Coordinator (CEC), and Youth Education Coordinator (YEC). The positions differ in their emphasis on land protection, stewardship, community outreach, and youth or adult education. All members will carry out capacity building projects; educate or train individuals in environmental stewardship; recruit, train, manage, and support community volunteers engaged in land conservation activities; and identify new individuals and groups to participate in education, recreation, or service opportunities that address land conservation needs. All positions include computer-based administrative and reporting duties. The specific responsibilities and goals of members in each position differ as described below.

Sudbury Valley Trusteeswill host a Community Engagement Coordinator for the 2016-17 service year. Information about all MassLIFT positions is available at: masslift.org.

2016 Community Engagement Coordinator Position Opening
with Sudbury Valley Trustees

Sudbury Valley Trustees

18 Wolbach Road

Sudbury, MA 01776

svtweb.org

Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT) is a regional land trust that conserves land and protects wildlife habitat in the Concord, Assabet, and Sudbury river basin for the benefit of present and future generations.We care for some of this region’s most important forests, wetlands, and grasslands—natural areas that support wildlife habitat, working farms, and recreational trails. As of 2016, SVT cares for more than 4300 acres on 84 reservations and 70 Conservation Restrictions and maintains a 55-mile trail network. We collaborate with numerous partner organizations, and our work is supported by 2900 members and 200 volunteers.

Our headquarters is located in an old farmhouse on a lovely 53-acre property with views of field and forests.Our service area transitions from the more urban/suburban Metropolitan Boston fringes to the more rural/suburban central Massachusetts area.In spite of being located near a major metropolitan center, we have an incredible abundance of open space and conservation lands, including two national wildlife refuges and a Wild & Scenic River corridor.

Community Engagement Coordinators (CEC) build the long-term capacity of their host sites to expand community engagement efforts, traditionally focused on conservation­ minded groups and populations, to include more diverse demographics and civic interests for the purpose of increasing public support for land conservation (including urban conservation and gardening efforts).

Specifically, the CEC will engage new constituencies in land conservation (including urban conservation and gardening efforts) by educating the public about the many social benefits of land conservation and by including them in projects and events that demonstrate how land conservation can address diverse community needs such as public health, economic development, education, poverty and hunger, neighborhood revitalization, and cultural decline. With volunteers, CECs have helped create community gardens at homeless shelters and food pantries, initiate and improve farmers’ markets, build wellness trails and gardens for hospitals, revitalize urban parks and greenways, create wheelchair accessible camping events, organize urban rivers water quality monitoring, build recreational trails with addiction recovery programs, organize urban birding clubs, and organize corporate volunteer projects. By engaging with diverse peoples and collaborating with community partners, they build bridges that reinforce the connection between land conservation and a sustainable social, economic, and environmental future for all people.

MassLIFT-AmeriCorps members engage with their supervisors to develop and carry outthree or more capacity building projects over the course of the service year. Someof these projects will involve recruiting, training, and/or managing community volunteers.Sudbury Valley Trusteeshas proposed the following potential project for theirCommunity Engagement Coordinator:

The CEC will assist the Marketing and Outreach Program to deliver outreach through SVT’s service area. To optimize impact, the CEC will focus her/his efforts in ~6-8 communities that lack a strong SVT presence and/or have not been well served by any conservation organization.The CEC will identify local community groups – both traditional and non-traditional partners – to help SVT make inroads into the community.To reach that diverse community audience, the CEC will employ a wide array of tactics,including social and traditional media and a variety of outdoor and indoor programming in the targeted communities that will appeal to a broad base of participants.

As an example, one of the CEC’s focus areas will be the town of Framingham, including the urban downtown and South Framingham in particular.The CEC's work will build on SVT’s early work to identify community groups with whom SVT could collaborate.Based on this networking, serve with a select group of partners to design programs that together reach a cross-section of Framingham’s residents.Included in the design will be agreed-upon metrics for what defines success. Based on this, the CEC will develop recommended actions for SVT’s continued work in Framingham and other similar communities.

Development of these and other projects will occur during the first two months of service and consider the member’s interests and skills.

Essential Qualifications:

•Bachelor’s degree; experience may be substituted for education

•comfortable preparing for andpresenting in front of groups

•strong writing, communication, and networking skills, including traditional and social media

•a strong interest in serving with diverse community groups, landowners, and municipalities

•able to serve both independently and as a member of a team

•familiarity with Microsoft Office programs

Desired Qualifications:

•experience in community needs assessment

•experience with diversity and inclusion issues

•experience training and managing volunteers

•experience in local government, or civic organizations

•marketing experience or experience developing public information materials

•familiarity with land conservation preferred but not restricted to Massachusetts

•experience with service learning programs

•experience with project management, including the ability to define clear, measurable outcomes

For questions about Sudbury Valley Trustees service positions, contact Michael Sanders at .

How to Apply

Hosting organizations, service positions, and application procedures are described at the MassLIFT-AmeriCorps website: masslift.org.

A complete member application includes a 1- 2 page cover letter, a resume, three references, and an application form. Download the application from the Join MassLIFT website. Scan yourcover letter, resume, and completed forminto one PDF file (in that order) and email it to .

Member applications will be available for viewing by all of our host sites.Do not send applications directly to a host site.

We strongly encourage application submissions before interviews begin in mid-May.Position offers and acceptances will begin in early June.The program aims to fill all positions by late July, but host sites will continue interviews as needed until all positions are filled.

For questions about MassLIFT-AmeriCorps, contact Sean Pollock, Program Director, at Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust.Email or call 978-248-2043x16.